The merchants of the Ming Dynasty were all bitches. This was the view of the scholars and powerful men.
It's strange to say that many officials look down on businessmen, but they always like to ask for benefits from businessmen. I don't know if this is considered cheap.
Officials of the Ming Dynasty bullied businessmen, so they naturally had their own methods.
Unlicensed operations, inadequate fire protection, and unqualified spitting hygiene are all the methods used by later generations to "have laws to follow." But in ancient times, there was no need for any rules to bully a businessman...
For example, if you sell salt but not in the prescribed location, you will be fined. If the goods are not placed in the prescribed location, you will be fined...
For example, there are famines and floods this year. As a big businessman, how can you do it without vomiting some blood? As for vomiting one bowl of blood or five bowls of blood, it all depends on your consciousness.
Those with low consciousness usually end badly.
Even if this businessman gets sick, some soldiers will come to his home and say that your disease is likely to "infect others and harm thousands of troops", and then sum up:
You are hopeless, we need to bury you.
In order not to be killed by a sneeze, I had to spend money to eliminate the disaster.
Also, it’s the magistrate’s birthday today, would you like to express your gratitude?
Oh, tomorrow the prefect also celebrates his birthday. By the way, the emperor’s birthday is on a certain day of the month. Although our place is barren, we still need to show loyalty, so you should be more prepared...
If you want to make money, there are many ways to do it.
Although it seems that only the Hou family has a direct government background among Shanxi merchants, in fact, behind every wealthy businessman is a huge network of relationships, and in these networks of relationships, people ranging from prefects to government officials of blood-sucking insects.
However, some high-ranking officials are difficult to bribe or make friends with.
But the more there are chief officials who are difficult to bribe, the more subordinate officials are easy to bribe. This may seem like a paradox, but it is true.
From these two letters, Chang Baiye truly took over the affairs of the Chang family, because relationships are the core of business, far more important than goods.
Taigu is only more than 120 miles away from Taiyuan, so two days are enough.
When Chang Baiye left Taigu with the shopkeeper, craftsmen, and clerks, Yanshenggong Kongne had just arrived in Rencheng.
Rencheng today is an unprecedented "grand occasion".
Zheng Gang, the prefect of Yanzhou, who was supposed to sit upright, had to step aside.
Shandong's capital secretary Geng Bingwen, the inspector-general Chen Ying, the minister of industry Song Li, and Yan Shenggong Kong Na, these officials are more powerful than the small prefect in terms of official position or status.
Even Prince Lu's Mansion, which was not very active on weekdays, sent Chief Shi Wang Fan today.
After everyone sorted out the official positions, they arranged for Yanshenggong Kongna and Dusi Geng Bingwen to take the seats, while the others sat aside.
This arrangement is also reasonable. After all, the inspector is only a third-rank official, and the Dusi is a second-rank official. Besides, Geng Bingwen also has the title of Marquis of Changxing, so it is appropriate to sit high with Duke Yansheng.
As for others, they do not have this qualification.
Chen Ying explained: "The chief envoy is in Jinan and cannot come in person, so the right counselor Li Zongshou will act as his agent."
Li Zongshou walked out, bowed respectfully to all the bosses, and then said: "The lower officials will definitely discuss the details of this meeting and report it to the Chief Envoy."
Seeing that everyone had gathered, Song Li stopped delaying. After scanning the crowd, he cleared his throat and said, "Dredging the river is a major event for the imperial court. Hundreds of officials are paying attention, and the emperor is concerned about it. Unexpected interruptions must not be tolerated. Even if we respond immediately, Preparations have already begun, migrant workers from all over the country have arrived one after another, and construction of some river channels has already begun, but there are some issues that still need to be explained clearly to everyone."
Yan Shenggong Kong Ne had a tired look on his face and tugged at the corner of his mouth: "Master Song, please tell me directly. I will definitely comply."
Kong Ne has now lost his former majesty and pride. From persuading the people not to obey the imperial conscription and boycotting the river construction, to encouraging the people to obey the conscription and participate in the river construction, he made a 180-degree turn, completely turning the Yan Sheng Gong's Mansion into a "big one". Roll over."
Folks have many opinions about Yan Sheng Gong's Mansion. Some people think that Yan Sheng Gong's Mansion has abandoned the people and completely sided with the imperial court. There are even some folk songs:
Duke Yansheng was sitting on the wall when the wind came. He looked to the east and saw a strong gust of wind.
Duke Yansheng was sitting on the wall when the wind came. He looked to the west and saw a strong gust of wind.
…
Yan Shenggong, a good doctor, also relies on the wind to turn books.
After Kong Ne heard about it, he wanted to hit the wall and die several times, but he didn't know what happened. Every time he couldn't think about it, there was always a group of people around him, and he couldn't find a good opportunity for many days.
Faced with the appointment from the imperial court, Kong Ne never thought of rejecting or declining.
But Emperor Zhu Yunwen was not an easy person to negotiate with. If Yanshenggong was not "enemies" with the people, he would be enemies with the court. Although the court could not abolish the title of Yanshenggong, it would still be better to replace him with someone else. It can be done…
Although Yan Shenggong's iron rice bowl belonged to the Kong family in Qufu and could not be taken away by the court, the specifics of who was eating from this iron rice bowl was just a matter of an imperial edict.
If you, Kong Na, are disobedient, it doesn't matter. Your son, Kong Gongjian, has also grown up, and the personnel changes are very easy to handle.
If your son is also disobedient, it doesn't matter. Anyway, your son still has a son. Although he has not been weaned and is not very eloquent, he is still qualified to be the Holy Duke of Yan.
Under heavy pressure, even a camel has to lie down, let alone Kong Ne.
The warning from the Pingren Division and the document that the court could not refuse forced Kong Ne to nod and become the "main force" to assist the court in dredging the Huitong River. What made Kong Ne vomit blood the most was that the court tried its best to expand the Yanshenggong Mansion in terms of propaganda. In short, the impact can be summed up in one sentence:
The supervisor of dredging the Huitong River is Yan Shenggong. If someone bullies you, it is Yan Shenggong who bullies you.
In order to build the golden brand of Shenggong Mansion, Kong Ne had to come out of Qufu and come to Rencheng to attend this crucial "meeting".
Song Li said solemnly: "Dredging the Huitong River requires 300,000 craftsmen and migrant workers. How to deploy these people, their food, clothing, housing, and transportation must be taken into consideration by the court. The Ministry of Household Affairs has already allocated a large amount of grain to Shandong, and three roads have been set up along the Huitong River. Ten small granaries. It stands to reason that it would not be a problem for migrant workers to eat, but this is not the case. Lin Fang, come and introduce the situation to all of you."
Lin Fang walked out, unfolded a document, and read aloud: "Thirty small granaries, each of which stores 1,500 shi of grain, can sustain 10,000 people for 20 to 25 days of rations. Delivered by the Ministry of Household Affairs The ground is clear, but when personnel from the Ministry of Works visited recently, they found that the three granaries that had not been opened were half empty. After inspecting all the granaries, the accounts were not reconciled."
"If you look deeper, it turns out that the people in the granary are stealing and using the court's food to make profits. They distribute one stone of food, and the account books record two or even three stones. The migrant workers have no enough food to eat, but they have to continue to work hard. But some officials celebrate after they have benefited. Playing songs every night! These things are by no means trivial. If they cannot be completely eliminated, they will become a serious problem."
Chen Ying, the inspector-general, frowned. Something like this happened before the construction of the Huihe River was fully started. Then after the construction started, wouldn't there be more fraud and corruption?
Normally, local officials are greedy, take a little, and bully the people. But hundreds of thousands of people will gather here. Once the people's anger is aroused, there will be 300,000 "Red Scarf Army" in an instant. It is not a repeat of the old events at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. Impossible.
Chen Ying slammed the case and said sternly: "Such corrupt villains and scum of the officialdom should be punished with serious crimes as a warning to others. The prosecutor's office and the local government should increase the crime of these corrupt officials by one degree, and those who deserve to be punished with a cane will be punished. Those who deserve to be sent out for three thousand miles should be beheaded in public display!"
Geng Bingwen didn't say anything. He was the military commander in charge of the guard station. He appeared here only as a back-up force to tell everyone that once there was trouble, the capital would send a large army to put an end to the rebellion. He did not want to participate in other specific matters.
However, Duke Yan Shenggong and Kong Ne broke out in a cold sweat. This matter had become a big deal. The civil unions would record this debt to Yan Sheng Gong's Mansion first, and then to the court. It was related to the face and foundation of Yan Shenggong's Mansion, and Kong Ne also took care of it. Without any etiquette, he stood up and angrily said: "The imperial court has repeatedly ordered inspections to be carried out. When the Ministry of Household Affairs issued an order, what were the censors of the Metropolitan Inspectorate doing? This matter was actually discovered by the Ministry of Works. This shows that the Ministry of Revenue and the Metropolitan Inspectorate did not act seriously. , in my opinion, not only should corrupt people be severely punished, but the relevant people should also be dealt with by Shi Zhong and Yu Shi!"
As soon as these words came out, the whole hall was shocked.
Zhou De, the censor of Zuo Qiandu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, looked even more gloomy, because he was the chief officer of the Metropolitan Procuratorate in charge of Huitonghe.
During this period, the Metropolitan Procuratorate focused its main efforts on recruiting migrant workers and craftsmen, checking to see if there was any place to exploit the people and seize power in the name of recruiting, neglecting the granary.
Now the problem has arisen. Duke Yan Sheng actually wants to take action against the Procuratorate and the Ministry of Revenue. This is a slap in the face.
But the problem is, Zhou De can only stand and be slapped in the face, unable to even say a word of objection.
After all, dereliction of duty is a fact.
Song Li had some headaches. Although the dredging would open the river, the Shandong Chief Envoy Department, the Inspection Envoy Department, the Du Commander Shi Department, the Yan Sheng Gong Mansion, the Yanzhou Prefecture, the Du Cha Yuan, the Ministry of Household Affairs, etc. were involved, but the real reason for this The one who bears the main responsibility for this matter is still the Ministry of Industry, Song Li.
If the problem gets bigger, other people will be unlucky, and he, Song Li, can't escape either.
Out of the overall situation, Song Liheng made up his mind and said sternly: "After all, the manpower of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Ministry of Revenue is limited and scattered in various places. They have not participated in the supervision of the granary. It is too early to investigate the responsibilities of the Metropolitan Procuratorate in this matter. In my opinion Look, in order to appease the people, the black sheep should be beheaded in front of the people to warn all officials that the court will never allow any problems to occur in this matter!"
"If you want to steal migrant workers' food rations, take their money, or want to bully and beat migrant workers, then let them try! Whoever reaches out will have his hand cut off! Whoever stretches out his head will have his head beheaded! We will never tolerate it!"
The murderous words shocked everyone.
This means that anyone who wants to take advantage of the big river-opening project to make a profit may get himself into trouble. But river defense projects have always been a good opportunity to make money. Can they really be eliminated this time?
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